


Hard Shell / Soft Heart

by McGoogleheim



Category: Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Cartoon 2018)
Genre: Animal care, Gen, Happy Ending, Minor Injuries, Slight Hurt/Comfort, Threats, feral cat colonies, wholesome content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-05
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-14 11:00:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29169996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/McGoogleheim/pseuds/McGoogleheim
Summary: Repo Mantis: motivated by greed and his secret love for cats. But there's one cat who would love nothing more than to eat the crafty mantis man...
Relationships: Repo Mantis & Michelangelo & Donatello & Raphael & Leonardo & Mrs. Nubbins, Repo Mantis & a bunch of feral cats that he loves with all his heart
Comments: 10
Kudos: 16





	Hard Shell / Soft Heart

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this for my birthday: purely self-indulgent wholesome Repo Mantis content. I intended on it being just a short drabble where he fed the stray cats of his salvage lot but here we are, over 4,000 words later (I am Boo Boo the Fool lmao). Like always, I'll be actively editing little details, so if you notice any changes that's why :U
> 
> I have this headcanon that Repo's salvage lot is home to a feral cat colony and Repo loves them to bits. I am also avid about Mrs. Nubbins getting a cloaking collar so Repo can have his cat back -- so I combined these two ideas into one story!
> 
> This story also takes place after 'One Man's Junk.' It's just a silly little interlude that I hope you enjoy :)

Foot traffic at  _ Repo Mantis Salvage  _ had slowed _ ;  _ the cold January air kept most junkyard enthusiasts at home rather than sifting through the piles of discarded appliances and rusting automobiles. And who could blame them? Not many people (or mutants) had the time or energy to deal with the elements  _ and _ Repo's shady negotiation tactics.

Though that didn't mean Repo wasn't busy elsewhere, terrorizing deadbeats who owed him money and living up to his namesake. Oh sure, the mantis-man would've loved nothing more than to kick his feet up and count his stacks of cash, but he had a business to maintain and mouths to feed;  _ so many _ mouths to feed. 

The late afternoon sun feebly warmed the salvage lot as Repo hopped out of his tow-truck, his arms full with shopping bags. He shouldered the truck's door closed and hurried into the office building (which doubled as his living quarters). Once inside, he swept the mess of manilla folders and important paperwork (mostly complaints) off his desk, replacing them with the crinkled bags. 

" _ Phew _ ! Alright, let's see what we're workin' wit' here..," Repo slid the tips of his pincers down the sides of the bags, slicing them open. There, stacked neatly together, were cans of premium cat food and tuna fish.

Repo glanced up at the wall clock, checking the time: it was almost 3 pm. He knew he'd have to work fast, for it was only a matter of time before- 

_ Mroooow... Meooowww... _

Ah. Too late. 

Repo went over to the front window and lifted the slatted blinds out of the way, revealing a black and white cat, whose meowing grew louder as Repo appeared, its little white paw reaching in through a hole at the bottom of the screen, searching for affection (or a treat). 

Repo opened the window just enough to speak to the cat, "Yeah, yeah, I know.  _ Ohhh-ho _ , don't I knows it~! Repo's a little late today wit' the grub,  _ I know _ . I'm workin' on it right now,  _ I swears it!" _

The cat continued to complain, dissatisfied with the mutant's reply. It seemed Repo would have to resort to drastic measures to buy his little friend over. The mantis reached into his pocket and passed a cat treat through the hole in the screen, appeasing the cat.

"Listen, go tell yer friends  _ 'good ol' Repo's got somethin' special fer youse today,' _ okay? Tell 'em  _ 'it'll be worth the wait!' _ Now watch yer pawsies, I'm closin' up shop~!" 

As soon as Repo closed the window, the black and white cat jumped down from the oil drum it was perched on and bounded off, content for the time being. 

With his cat-friend no longer harassing him, Repo scooped as many cans of cat food and tuna he could carry and shlepped them over to the counter of his kitchenette, silently cursing himself for not thinking to put the cans there in the first place. 

He made quick work opening the cans, using his pincer like a can-opener; the smell of cat food and salty fish permeated the confines of his office, but he didn't mind. He roughly patted the side of a dingy microwave at the other end of the counter, as if he was waking it up, "Hey! We gotta lot of work to do, so don't you quit on me!" 

Thus began the repetitive task of emptying the cans into a mixing bowl and dolling out the concoction onto paper plates. The process took longer than Repo would've liked, what with the microwave shorting out six plates in, but he remained diligent in warming the wet piles of food until the last tin of tuna clattered into an overstuffed recycle bin.

Just as Repo was loading the last of the plates onto a double-decker serving cart, a chorus of impatient mewling brought Repo back to the front window. The black and white cat had returned, this time flanked by a ginger tabby and a pair of calicos.

"I'll be right out!" Repo reassured through the dirty windowpane, "The food's a-comin', just give me a sec! Trust in yer Uncle Repo~!" 

A strange thing to do - trust Repo Mantis - who was well-known for his trickery and greed. Yet out of all the inhabitants of New York City, it was this colony of feral cats that relied on Repo the most, even  _ if _ he was late with their lunch. 

The last thing Repo had to take care of was filling various plastic takeout containers with fresh water. Careful not to spill any, he arranged them on the serving cart's second-tier; finally finished preparing lunch for his felines. He wrestled his winter gear back on (jacket, scarf, and hat) and used the cart to push open the front door.

He was greeted by a rush of wind so sharp he clenched his jaw, but the delighted meowing coming from the cats that had been waiting for him made Repo forget all about the biting cold. They weaved in and out of the mantis' legs, nearly tripping him. The ginger tabby managed to clamber up onto the back of Repo's jacket, where it perched on his shoulder.

" _ Oh, ho, hooo~ _ I know, I know! Youse guys told me already!" Repo chuckled warmly as he gave them one of the plates. "But look at what I whipped up fer ya: tuna  _ and _ cat chow! The good stuff! Nice 'n hot, too!" 

The cats swarmed the plate, and Repo used the opportunity to give each cat a few loving strokes down their backs, fawning over how they raised their tails with each pet. 

Repo set down one of the containers of water, "There ya go! The finest tap water in NYC!" He boasted. "Okay, take it easy now! I won't be late wit' dinner, I promise~!" 

He bid the cats farewell and pushed the serving cart off to another section of the scrapyard. The scent of warm food lured nearly a dozen cats out from the outdoor shelters Repo built for them. Like before, Repo set out their food and water and then played with the cats, who crowded around his feet.

While Repo was inspecting one of the cat shelters, there came a frenzy of hissing and spitting that caught him off-guard. 

Back by the plate of food stood two striped cats, their bodies arched and their hackles raised, tails lashing as they stared each other down. A few of the other cats backed away, not wanting to get involved with the skirmish, while others looked expectantly at Repo, knowing he'd sort things out. 

"Hey, break it up, fellas!" Repo scolded, the striped cats backing down underneath the mutant's firm but patient look. "We're all friends here. There's plenty fer everyone!"

And there was. Repo had been generous with the plates of food he fixed, having sprinkled them with extra pieces of kibble and treats. Although wary of each other, the striped cats resumed eating, and order was restored. 

Repo leaned close to a chunky tomcat and whispered into his ear, "Keep an eye on 'em, big guy." The cat meowed curtly in response, and Repo wheeled the cart off to the next batch of cats, and so on.

By the time he met with the last cat colony, the sun had disappeared behind a blanket of gray clouds, the scent of snow tinting the overpowering aroma of hot tuna. Repo was already making plans to add more insulation to the shelters, but he could save that chore for tomorrow. 

For now, Repo rested on a raggedy pile of tires, watching the cats feast on the fruits of his labor, meowing amongst themselves. Some of the cats padded over to Repo, seeking affection now that their bellies were full. And Repo was happy to give it; he held out his pincers, letting the cats use the rough undersides to brush out the mats in their coats and scratch their itches. 

They loved it. Repo loved it. And everyone was happy. 

Well, not  _ everyone _ . There was still  _ one more cat _ Repo needed to tend to. The junkyard's  _ most dangerous _ cat, locked away inside the depths of the tallest mountain of junk at the center of the lot: Mrs. Nubbins. 

Repo was sure Mrs. Nubbins would be  _ super cranky _ today due to his tardiness. And he knew he couldn't keep her waiting any longer, even  _ if _ she only wanted to make him her next meal. 

Repo grimaced, anxious, yet yielding to his fate.

_ But first,  _ a little something to take the edge off.

Repo laid down awkwardly onto the hard-packed ground, allowing the mob of cats to climb all over him. He giggled as they covered him, truly living the dream, grateful he wasn't allergic to them. 

" _ Omigosh! _ Those cats are eating Repo!" A voice cried out in alarm.

Startled, Repo jolted upright, sending the cats darting off for their hiding spots, while others sank their claws into Repo's jacket, tethering themselves to the puffy fabric. 

Standing before Repo were those stupid mutant turtle teens. Mikey's panic turned to amusement, charmed by the way the cats clung to their caretaker, whereas Leo and Donnie tried valiantly to save Raph from the cats pursuing him around a busted refrigerator.

Repo's lip curled into a snarl, "What the heck are youse chumps doin' here?! Can't youse see I'm busy!?"

"We came here lookin' for parts to fix Dad's space-heater," Mikey answered cheerfully, bending down to play with a feisty black cat that batted at the fringe of his orange scarf.

" _ Correction _ ," Donnie interrupted, leaving Leo to protect Raph from the angry cats. " **_ I _ ** came here looking for parts to fix Dad's space-heater after  _ you three _ tried re-heating  _ a pizza _ on it.  _ You guys _ just wanted an excuse to get out of the lair before  _ Papa  _ found out."

Leo slung an arm over Donnie's shoulder, pulling him into a one-sided hug, "Aw c'mon, bro! Don't act like  _ you  _ weren't into the whole ' _ space-pizza-heater thing _ !' If it weren't for the mozzarella..." The Slider trailed off, deep in thought. 

Raph's cries for help as the cats finally caught him went ignored by his brothers (save for an irritated Repo).

"So why're youse tellin' me about all this nonsense, huh?" Repo growled as he stood up, dusting himself off. He fetched the serving cart with a huff, only to realize Leo, Mikey, and Donnie were still staring at him, low-key entertained by his not-so-secret soft-spot for cats. "Whaddya lookin' at?! Ain't chyouse ever seen a guy play wit' some cats before?! Go look fer yer stupid parts an' get off my back!" 

Repo stormed off for the junk mountain, muttering a string of harsh words under his breath, hiding his embarrassment within the folds of his scarf. His pace lost its fervor as soon as he passed by a wall of barbed wire, police-tape, and a giant sign that read: ** DANGER! KEEP OUT! ** These security measures were installed after his  _ last mishap _ with Mrs. Nubbins (no thanks to those turtles). 

He brought the last plate of food into the school bus he used to seal off the entrance of Mrs. Nubbins' dwelling. The bus sputtered to life as Repo turned the keys in the ignition, the headlights bathing the narrow tunnel in a hazy light.

Steadily, Repo drove the bus forward, deeper into the mountain until the tunnel opened into a massive room. Hesitantly, he left the bus's refuge and walked out into the open. He gazed up nervously at the large metal cage, suspended high overhead by industrial chains that creaked under its weight.

Out from the darkness of the cage, a pair of glowing red eyes locked onto Repo, who timidly approached a forklift stationed at the base of the cell. Balancing the plate of food in one pincer, Repo toggled at the forklift's levers with the other; gradually, the platform rose. 

"Oh, Mrs. Nubbins~! How're we doin' today, my cuddly-" 

Mrs. Nubbins roared at Repo, attempting to squeeze her giant paws through the bars so that she could snatch the purple mantis with her razor-sharp claws. The chains rattled as the cage shook, and Repo could feel himself breaking a sweat.

"I know, sweetie, I'm sorry! Daddy's a little late today!" His toothy smile wavered as he stopped the forklift's platform from rising any higher. "But look what I have fer ya! It's yer favorite:  _ tuna cat food surprise~! _ " 

Repo slid the plate in-between the bars, barely having any time to pull his pincers away before Mrs. Nubbins' pounced on her lunch, swallowing it whole: paper plate included. A low, throaty growl came from the manti-cat as she licked her maw with her elongated tongue, and Repo knew she was still hungry. Hungry for  _ him _ . 

The way Mrs. Nubbins stared him down so viciously broke Repo's heart, "Aw, don't do me like that, Mrs. Nubbins," Repo frowned. "It's me! Yer daddy! Remember?" 

Mrs. Nubbins charged the bars, causing the cage to knock into the forklift, tipping the vehicle over. Repo lost his footing and fell over the safety railing with a shout. But before he could hit the ground, a pair of giant, red luminous hands caught him. The hands folded over him, shielding him from the forklift as it bounced off the knuckles and crashed onto its side. 

Repo squinted through the red barrier surrounding him, shocked to find the turtles standing by the school bus. Raph (covered in scratches, his bandana torn) delicately set Repo down next to them; the pair of magical hands disintegrated once the Snapping turtle deemed Repo was out of harm's way.

" _ Tch! _ What's wit' youse, huh!?" Repo grumped, "Does barbed-wire an' police-tape mean nothin' to ya?"

" _ Nope _ !" Mikey shook his head, pleased with his answer. 

"Uh, how 'bout a ' _ thank you' _ to the turtle who just saved yer life?" Raph folded his arms, wincing from the sting of the cat scratches. 

"What up, Mrs. Nubs!" Leo saluted the ferocious cat-monster. "Is the big scawy cat still twyin' to eat the nasty mantis man~?" 

Mrs. Nubbins hissed as she paced the confines of her cell. It hurt Repo to see her like this, but what was he supposed to do? He couldn't have her roaming the scrapyard, although she would make for excellent security - and he'd only have to pay her in fish too!

Mrs. Nubbins gave one last leer before curling up in the shadows of her cage, her back facing the other mutants gawking at her. Repo's shoulders sagged, his heart breaking just a little bit more. 

The turtles exchanged a look with one another, uncertain about what they should do. It was one thing to witness Repo playing with cats, but to see the mantis so afflicted with sorrow... 

In the end, it was Donnie they silently nominated to say something, "Y'know, I've heard catnip and other herbal remedies work wonders on cats with behavioral issues!" 

Repo side-eyed Donnie, whose arms were full of heater coils and other bits of machinery, "Thanks fer the info, but I already tried that stuff on her," Repo replied. "Oh, who am I kiddin'? I don't even think the old Mrs. Nubbins is in there anymore." 

" _ The old Mrs. Nubbins _ , huh?" Mikey pondered aloud. Suddenly, a lightbulb went off over his head, surprising the group as the bulb shattered as it hit the floor, "Hey, that's it! What about a  _ cloaking collar _ for Mrs. Nubbins? That way, when she wears it, she'll be her cute, cuddly self again!"

"A cloaking collar?" Repo repeated the term, confused. "You mean like one of them do-hickeys those crab-guys wear?" He thought of the Sando Brothers and how they could turn themselves into humans, thanks to those special green badges.

"That's... actually not a bad idea, Mikey," Donnie blinked, amazed to find himself agreeing with his younger brother's plan. "Alright, Repo, you like making deals, so let's make one! For these heater parts, we'll find you one, bonafide, top-of-the-line cloaking collar for your cat, Mrs. Nubbins!" 

It was an offer Donnie was hoping Repo would accept, considering he forgot to grab his wallet before leaving the lair.

Repo contemplated Donnie's tempting proposition. He eyed the parts that the Softshell held and knew he could make a pretty penny off them, especially if he drove up the value, knowing how desperate they were to fix their dad's space-heater.

After all, he  _ did _ love makin' money... 

... but he also loved Mrs. Nubbins  _ more _ .

"Say, you got yerself a deal!" Repo smirked and held out his pincer.

Donnie struggled to free a hand so they could shake on it, but before Donnie could grasp Repo's pincer, the mantis hooked Donnie by the back of the neck. Donnie squawked as Repo yanked him close, staring him down with the same ferocity as Mrs. Nubbins. 

Repo's voice grew dangerously low, "But if you  _ jip me _ like  _ last time _ and leave me wit' a  _ briefcase full of loose tuna _ , I'll feed you an' yer dorky brothers to Mrs. Nubbins myself!" 

"Uh, who's he callin' ' _ dorky' _ ?" Leo whispered to Raph, who quickly intervened and separated Donnie from Repo. 

"You got it, Mister Mantis, sir!" Raph said, tucking Donnie behind him. "We'll just be takin' these parts back with us, and then we'll bring you that cloaking collar as soon as we can find one!" 

"I want it in my pincers by tomorrow afternoon," Repo demanded.

" _ T-tomorrow afternoon? _ " Raph frowned at the unrealistic time frame.

"You want me to ring up yer Pops an' tell him how his space-heater broke, big guy?" Repo threatened.

Raph flinched, "No, of course not! Tomorrow afternoon sounds perfect! Let's go, guys! We've got a lot of pet-shop hoppin' to do!" Raph ushered his siblings out of Mrs. Nubbins' lair, feeling Repo's icy glare penetrating his spiky shell. 

Repo snorted, doubtful that the turtles could uphold their end of the bargain. He gave Mrs. Nubbins' cage one last glance and felt a flicker of hope surge within him. He thought how nice it would be to be able to dote on Mrs. Nubbins again, without the risk of getting his head chewed off.

"I'll see ya tomorrow, my cuddly-wuddly!" Repo assured fondly as he boarded the school bus. 

Mrs. Nubbins spat up the paper plate, the tip of her tail twitching as she was left alone in the solitude of her chamber.

* * *

The next day carried on much like the previous one, although this time, Repo was punctual with delivering lunch to the cat colonies. Just as Repo had suspected, the weather forecast called for a light coating of snow over the weekend, so he made it his top priority to inspect all the outdoor shelters while the cats ate. 

He peered into one of the shelters and found a cluster of cats nestled together, muzzily grooming one another, "'ey, we good in here? Everyone cozy?" 

_ Meow! Meeeeooow! _

"Good! That's what I like to hear! Keep warm, my furry friends~!" 

Repo straightened up, proudly overlooking the cats who were still eating their share of food, their coats fluffed out to combat the cold. As Repo relished in the tranquil moment, an obnoxious truck horn blared, ruining the calm and sending Repo's cats off running.

The Turtle Tank rolled into the lot, skidding to a stop by the office. The horn beeped a peppy tune before Mikey leaned out of the driver's side window, waving enthusiastically at the mantis, "Hey, Re _ pooo~ _ ! Guess what we've got for you, baby!" 

"Y'mean beside a headache?" Repo folded his pincers as the turtles emerged from the tank's hatch. 

"Even better!" Leo grinned. "Oh, Donnie? If you'd do the honors~?"

Repo's eyes flicked from Leo to Donnie, who stepped out from behind Raph. The Snapping turtle wore an impressive, red canvas bodysuit to defend him from the cats who regarded Raph as their enemy; there were already a few cats trying to chew their way through the heavy material...

" _ Ahem! _ One, bonafide, top-of-the-line, cloaking collar for Mrs. Nubbins, as promised!" Donnie presented the grouchy mutant with a large green collar, fitted with a shiny new bell that jingled as he relinquished the mystic accessory into Repo's pincers.

Repo studied it closely, his antennas twitching with interest as he admired the stitchwork, "Say, this ain't half bad! This is some high-quality product ya got here~!" Then, rudely, Repo shoved the collar back into Donnie's arms, "Collar her."

"I'm sorry, but it sounded as if you wanted  **_ us _ ** to collar Mrs. Nubbins for you," Leo raised a brow.

"Yeah, that wasn't apart of the deal!" Raph pointed out. 

"Ah, I see you two have already forgotten  _ who it is _ we are dealing with here," Donnie rolled his eyes. "Allow me to refresh your memory: this is  _ Repo Mantis:  _ the guy who almost tricked Mikey and myself into _ free labor _ ."

Repo scoffed, "What? D'youse really think Mrs. Nubbins is gonna let  **_ me _ ** collar her?" He laughed, "Unless youse ain't got the guts to finish what ya started, then maybe this whole deal's a dud-" 

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! We can  _ totally _ collar that giant furball!" Leo piped up, unable to resist a challenge. "We've outsmarted Mrs. Nubbins before! Plus, Raph  _ is _ wearing his cat-proof suit! Collaring her will be a  _ cinch _ !" 

Raph, Mikey, and Donnie failed to share Leo's optimism. If anything, the other turtles had already decided to sacrifice Leo to the manti-cat if things got sticky. 

"Then that settles it!" Repo jerked his head towards the towering junk mountain, "Since youse punks know your way into Mrs. Nubbins' house, youse can let yerselves in. As fer me, I've gotta couple of things to take care of if you catch my drift." 

Repo sped off with his serving cart, putting as much distance between himself and the vicinity of Mrs. Nubbins' territory as possible. If the turtles weren't able to revert his cat back to her former self, then at least Repo could have a head start in fleeing for his life.

So what if the turtles' lives were at stake? They were just clipping a collar on a cat! Everything should be smooth sailing for the half-shelled heroes... right?

* * *

"There we go!" Repo cooed tenderly to a gray long-haired cat, "All brushed out, my fuzzy-wuzzy! And look how  _ handsome  _ you are! Yeah, I'm talkin' to  _ you,  _ mister~!" He held the gray cat up to his face, rubbing their noses together as the baby talk continued. 

The sun hung low on the horizon, taking the last traces of warmth with it as it dipped out of sight, painting the sky with streaks of orange and purple. The snow clouds were moving in sluggishly from the west, crossing the Hudson at a leisurely pace.

It had been a while now since Repo ordered the turtles to collar Mrs. Nubbins. He had heard the distant sounds of screaming and crashing muffled by the junk mountain's thick walls, but that was hours ago; a stillness now settled over the salvage lot. Even a few older cats seemed to sense that something was amiss.

Repo tried to think nothing of it while he finished lining one of the cat shelters with straw, but it was getting darker now; surely it shouldn't take four ninja turtles  _ this long _ to collar one monster cat!

Unless she really did eat them... 

Repo shuddered at the thought as he walked over to the serving cart. There was only one plate of food left, and it belonged to Mrs. Nubbins. It was her favorite pink food dish; its contents now cold, no thanks to the temperature drop. He had brought out the dainty bowl with the assumption that he'd be able to feed her like when she was a kitten.

But it was clear to him that he wouldn't be doing anything like that tonight.

Repo sighed, dragging his feet as he pushed the cart back to the office, his eyes lingering on the pink food dish. He felt stupid for letting those turtles talk him into such a crazy scheme and even dumber for believing that he'd be reunited with his precious kitty. Now, not only did he feel cheated, but he didn't even get to make bank off of those lousy heater parts!

Repo took Mrs. Nubbins' pink dish from the cart, tears glazing his bright, green eyes. He had just unlocked the door to his office when he heard voices calling out his name.

There, running up the main path, were the turtles: frantically flailing their arms at the mantis. Repo stiffened, deterred by the way they were sprinting towards him. As they drew nearer, Repo saw that Raphael's cat-proof suit was absolutely shredded, hanging onto his body in tatters. 

Repo jumped to the worst possible conclusion his mind could fathom: Mrs. Nubbins was loose, and those  _ morons  _ were leading her straight to him!

With a yelp, Repo stumbled into the office and slammed the door shut behind him, "I knew those guys were gonna get me eaten!" Repo fretted as he dove under his desk. He knew it wouldn't stand a chance against Mrs. Nubbins, much less his poor excuse of an office.

There came a pounding on the locked door. Repo cowered, clutching Mrs. Nubbins' ceramic dish close to him: terrified of its owner, yet protective of the keepsake, "GO AWAY!" He shouted.

"Repo! Open up! It's Mrs. Nubbins!" Raph yelled through the door as he wrestled with the doorknob. 

"What, y'think I don't know that's who's chasin' youse clowns?!" Repo snapped.

"No, you don't understand!" Leo tried forcing open the lock. "We  _ have  _ Mrs. Nubbins! She's here! With us! Right now!" 

"And I'm tellin' YOU that I wasn't born yesterday!" Repo retorted, "I ain't leaving this office just so she can-"

_ Mew! _

Repo's eyes widened. He recognized that meow anywhere. 

_ It can't be, _ Repo thought in disbelief as he poked his head out from his hiding spot. 

_ Mew! Mew! _

Repo gulped as he left the safety of his desk and unfastened the locks and deadbolts on the door, his body still trembling from the adrenaline rush. Cautiously, he cracked open the door...

Raph, Leo, and Donnie looked terrible: their bodies littered with claw-marks, dirt, and bruises. Mikey appeared to be the only one left virtually unscathed. 

_ Mew! _

Repo's eyes sparkled. There, in Mikey's hands, squirmed a small cream-colored cat: a bright green collar clasped around her neck; the tiny bell chimed as she cocked her head.

"M-Mrs. Nubbins?" Repo opened the door a little wider, "I can't believe it. Youse guys  _ actually _ collared her?" 

"You betcha!" Mikey rubbed his cheek against Mrs. Nubbins' soft coat. "Leo was right! Collaring her  _ was  _ a cinch!"

"Says the guy who hid inside the school bus the entire time," Donnie grumbled sourly, a chunk of his battle-shell missing. 

Repo was astounded. The emotional mantis held out his arms, "Here, kitty, kitty, kitty..." he held out his arms to Mrs. Nubbins, and the mewed once more before wriggling her way out of Mikey's hands and leaped into her owner's embrace. 

It was a beautiful reunion that rendered Leo, Raph, and Mikey to tears (minus Donnie, who had mentally checked out of this whole situation). Repo couldn't stop himself from shedding a few happy tears as he hugged Mrs. Nubbins close, elated to hear her familiar purring. He didn't care if the turtles heard him sweet-talking his precious  _ snuggly-wuggly, _ or if they saw him peppering her cute little head with kisses. Everything was perfect - just the way Repo had imagined their reunion to be!

Except when Repo went to touch noses with her, she bit him. Hard.

"Ouch! Ooh, yer a mouthy little thing now, aren't chya~?" Repo teased, noting how Mrs. Nubbins gnawed at his arms. "Say, how's 'bout we heat you up some salmon for din-din? Doesn't that sound nice~?" 

While Repo was distracted, Raph signaled his brothers to take their leave, "C'mon, fellas. I think it's about time we bounce and go get some  _ din-din _ for ourselves-"

"HEY! Where d'youse think you're goin'?!" Repo barked. 

Startled by Repo's abrupt personality change, Leo, Mikey, and Donnie ducked behind Raph, allowing their big brother to take the brunt of Repo's fury, "Please don't make your cats eat us! We just want to go home!" Raph blurted out, hiding behind his marred forearms.

"Yeesh, would youse relax?" The gruff mantis cleared his throat as he tucked Mrs. Nubbins under his arm. "I jus' wanted to say 'thanks' fer makin' good on yer word an' givin' me back my snuggly-wuggly."

"Oh," A big smile stretched across Raph's face as he finally received the thanks their heroic actions deserved. "Anytime! Um, well, actually, not anytime. What I meant to say is, you're welcome!" 

The  _ Mad Dogs _ wearily climbed back inside their Turtle Tank and drove off the salvage lot, oblivious to the feral cat stowaways they were harboring inside the cabin; the unforgiving felines seeking revenge for the multiple times the turtles ruined their quality time with Repo.

As the first snowflakes floated down from the sky, Repo hummed a tune as he prepared salmon paté for Mrs. Nubbins in her favorite pink dish; just like old times. Albeit, maybe with not so much biting...


End file.
